It has recently come to attention in the media that researchers in China have purposely created 127 new strains of influenza virus in China's National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute. These new strains of influenza were created by combining the highly pathogenic (lethal) but not easily transmissible H5N1 strain of bird flu with the highly publicised 2009 strain of H1N1 flu virus which is highly infectious and easily transmissible between humans.
Although the researchers have claimed that their experiment was conducted with the intention of aiding the development of new vaccines and other such products, senior scientists from around the world have criticised the “appalling irresponsitibility” of their actions. They fear that these new strains which were created in a laboratory with the second highest security level will spark a global pandemic if one of these potentially highly transmissible and infectious strains manages to escape from the laboratory.
Former English government chief scientist and past president of the Royal Society, Lord Robert May of Oxford deemed the study as doing nothing to further the understanding and prevention of flu pandemics. It has also been reported that over the years an increasing number of scientists have expressed concern over deliberate attempts to increase the human to human transmission of the highly pathogenic but not easily transmissible H5N1, with previous studies aiming to increase the strain’s transmission ability in animals resulting in the banning of the use ferrets as a model organism for H5N1 research.
It is proposed that the researchers should go ahead with their research and experiments. What do you think? Is it acceptable to undertake research and perform these experiments (that have associated negative implications) with the intention of doing good?
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www.nzherald.co.nz/science/news/article.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10881440It is proposed that the researchers should go ahead with their research and experiments.